The present invention relates generally to the field of automotive accessories. More specifically, the present invention relates to a detachably attached panel for closing off the bottom of the space under a vehicle dashboard.
In many automotive vehicles, the area directly below the dashboard, adjacent the instrument panel is left open, so as to facilitate access to wires and other parts residing thereunder, which may later require repair or replacement. While this may be beneficial from the practical standpoint of view of a repairman, dangling wires are not aesthetically appealing and may be a nuisance to front seat occupants of the vehicle.
Exemplary of an automobile having an uncovered under dash area is the 911 body style Porsche. Heretofore, this particular model has exhibited an unsightly under dash area, presented by dangling wires and other protruding equipment, such as stereo equipment under the dashboard. In addition to being unattractive, low hanging wires can also present a nuisance to front seat occupants of the vehicle. Front seat passengers may get their feet tangled in the wires, which may then become disengaged from their respective terminals. The luxurious aesthetic qualities of the automobile would be greatly enhanced if the tangled mess under the dashboard were concealed in an unobtrusive manner.
There are some prior art devices which are adapted to cover the area under a vehicle dashboard, for example Japanese Pat. No. 128968 to Hagiwara. Hagiwara describes a vehicle screening unit, fixedly attached between the lower surface portion of an instrument panel and the floor, to conceal mechanisms in the lower area of the instrument panel and improve heating, cooling and sound screening effects within the vehicle. The screening unit extends from the lower area of the instrument panel to the vehicle floor, and includes cut-out portions for the brake pedal, accelerator, and clutch. Attachment of the screening unit within the vehicle may be accomplished with screws, a suitable adhesive or some form of fastener clips. However, due to the amount of area which the screening unit is designed to cover, and the cut-out portions which encircle the various pedals near the floor of the vehicle, it is virtually impossible to make the screening unit of Hagiwara unnoticeable.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an under dash cover which may be quickly and easily installed under the dash of a motor vehicle so as to conceal unsightly wires, and which is quickly releasable so as to provide one with immediate access to those wires or other parts behind the instrument panel. Moreover, there is a need for an unobtrusive under dash covering, particularly designed to fit in exact harmony with the limited space under a vehicle dash to enhance the aesthetic qualities of the vehicle interior. Such a covering is specifically desirable for an elegantly sophisticated automobile such as a Porsche 911.